Country Guide: France

Split into 95 départements and boasting some 37,000 villages, The Hexagon, as the French have nicknamed their country because of its six-sided shape, is packed with sites, activities and food for every taste and budget.

Only got a short amount of time? We tell you where to go and why...

Best for romance: Paris

The sultry, sexy city that inspired Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is the perfect place for lovers. Whether you dine by candlelight as you glide along the Seine river, hold hands as you stroll through the hip-and-happening Latin quarter, or lock eyes as you sip a cocktail at the top of the Eiffel Tower, romance is never far away. But love can’t survive on an empty stomach, so when you need to feed the flame pick up a snack at Bastille, the city’s best food market, or splurge on some creative cuisine at the achingly atmospheric, celebrity-loved gourmet restaurant Le Grand Vefour.

If you want to burn off some calories while sticking close to your date, hire a tandem from Paris Velo Sympa and do a tour of the city’s sights. Now it’s time to check out some of the Latin Quarter’s sizzling nightlife, so pick up some hip rags in Indie boutiques near Chatelet where Parisian rock royalty love to shop, then dance until dawn at Les Bains Douches, just one of the city’s glitterati-packed clubs where celebs from Jagger to DiCaprio come to let off steam.

What else?

Once you’ve checked out Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile, pretended to be a millionaire along the glittering Champs Elysees and ‘done’ the art-packed Musee d’Orsay, sashay over to the newly renovated St Martin canal area where you can paddle around on the water, browse designer stores or catch a gig in one of the trendy cafes.

Best for activities: The Alps

With those amazing snow-capped peaks, mountain chalets, icy rivers to kayak down, lakes to swim in, paths to hike, tracks to bike along and countless crags to climb, the French Alps is an ideal destination for adrenalin freaks.

Europe’s highest summit and home to the winter Olympics, Mont Blanc towers above some of the world’s most famous ski resorts. After snowboarding in Tignes and skiing in Les Arcs, enjoy a raft of après-ski activities in the lively, student-packed town of Grenoble. If the cold stuff isn’t for you, head for La Clusaz where you can hike the spectacular Via Ferrata - the alpine route once used by partisans to carry munitions, or try white water rafting in the Giffre River, which fumes and foams its way through the narrow Tines gorge.

Europe’s highest town, Briançon, is a great destination for cyclists seeking a challenge. A Unesco world heritage site since 2008, this high-flung town, conceived by engineering wizard Vauban, is an amazing labyrinth of 17th- and 18th-century forts and star-shaped fortifications where you can wander a while before whizzing through breathtaking scenery to the panoramic Col Du Lautaret.

If you want to get higher still, head for Annecy, where you can glide over this stunning medieval town known as the region’s paragliding capital, before hiring a canoe and paddling around this pretty city’s vast lake.

What else?

When those lonely peaks get too much for you, discover Chagall, Matisse and more at Grenoble’s fabulous Muséedes Beaux-Arts, or soothe those bumps and bruises in one of Courchevel’s sumptuous spas.

In France’s second largest city you can wander for days along cobbled streets discovering Roman ruins and eclectic museums, shopping in the old city’s bustling bazaars, supping traditional Bouillabaisse fish stew in one of the cafes along the old port, or just lazing on one of the glorious beaches in nearby La Ciotat.

When it’s time to flash that tan, make your way to the celebrity-studded beaches of St Tropez, or join crowds wandering along La Croisette in famed film festival venue, Cannes. Once you’ve had enough of those madding crowds, ride a bike into the wild and wonderful Camargue region, where you can spot pretty pink flamingos and white horses, picnic in the dunes or swim from some of Province’s best beaches.

What else?

If you want to duck out of that sizzling sun for a while, soak up some culture in the museums and sites of medieval Avignon. On weekends you should make your way to Isle sur la Sorgue to pick up some cool shades and other vintage bargains in the city’s vast marché aux puces (flea market).

Best for foodies: Wine Country

From Bordeaux to Burgundy and Champagne, France is famed too for its guzzle-worthy grape juice - and in a country famed for its gastronomy there’s plenty of good food to go with those fine wines.

Boasting more than five dozen different appellations, Bordeaux is an ideal destination for wine lovers. Hire a bike to get around this pancake-flat city and make a beeline for the Musée du Vin et du Négoce to learn more about the city’s long wine history. Next, pedal over to Quartier St-Pierre and sample local specialities such as lamproie à la Bordelaise (lamprey eels in red wine sauce) and esturgeon à la Libournaise (sturgeon in a white wine sauce) in one of the cafes on this lively central square.

Party in one of the hip wine bars close by, then get up early and head out of the Route de Médoc to sample some of the region’s celebrated wines. Alternatively, head north to Burgundy’s medieval capital Beaune, where vines have been grown along the banks of the river Saone for several millenniums. Here you can see winemakers’ tools and learn about local traditions in the Musee de la Vigne et du Vin then head out on a walking tour of the surrounding villages to sample some of those dry red wines made from Pinot noir grapes and white wines made from Chardonnay grapes in local farms.

What else?

When you’ve supped enough wine, make a beeline for Cognac, home of fine brandy since the Middle Ages, where you can visit the ancient Cognac houses, learn how the brew is made, then sample some of that heady brown stuff in cafes and restaurants along the cobbled streets of this picturesque town beside the Charente river.